Sorry John, telling whether or not a particular gun has been refinished takes a practiced eye and is not something that you can learn in a single post or even a single read.
Basically, I look for the blurring of lines that should be sharp, the impressions of stamps and the like...
My gut feeling (without a personal examination under proper lighting and magnifying glass) is that I agree with Ron Wood's assessment that from the photographs provided it does not appear that this gun has been refinished.
I think $500 might be a lowball figure in today's market even without matching magazines... If you are dealing with a licensed dealer, I doubt he will go for that low an offer unless he got the gun for virtually nothing and is willing to grab some profit and run... $650 to $750 and the gun may go home with you after the waiting period. If it is a private sale... who knows what the owner is willing to take? The gun is not a rare variation, just one in apparently good shape.
Good Luck and let us know what happens.
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regards, -John S
"...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL and are endowed by their Creator with certain UNALIENABLE rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."
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